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Investing.com -- Tele2 (ST:TEL2b) on Wednesday reported flat revenues of SEK 7.15 billion in the first quarter of 2025, unchanged year-on-year, but posted a 6% rise in underlying EBITDAaL to SEK 2.71 billion and a 57% jump in equity free cash flow to SEK 2.02 billion.
End-user service revenue rose 1% organically to SEK 5.4 billion, led by a 7% increase in the Baltics.
Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia recorded end-user service revenue growth of 7%, 6%, and 9% respectively in local currency. The Sweden market remained largely flat, with Consumer revenue down 1% and Business revenue up 1%.
The decline in Sweden was mainly attributed to the discontinuation of the Boxer terrestrial TV service and continued legacy product erosion.
Operating profit improved to SEK 1.32 billion from SEK 1.25 billion a year earlier, while profit after financial items rose to SEK 1.08 billion from SEK 998 million.
Net profit from total operations increased slightly to SEK 875 million from SEK 833 million, with earnings per share at SEK 1.26 (SEK 1.20).
“Financially, we start seeing impact of our transformation already in Q1,” said chief executive Jean Marc Harion, in a statement.
“Thanks to topline growth in the Baltics and improved cost discipline across the group, we have managed to increase our Underlying EBITDAaL by 6% year on year,” he added.
Cost control measures were central to the margin gains. Operating cash flow rose to SEK 1.89 billion from SEK 1.54 billion, and economic net debt was reduced to SEK 24 billion from SEK 26.2 billion at the end of 2024.
The company’s leverage ratio, economic net debt to underlying EBITDAaL, stood at 2.2x, down from 2.5x and below the company’s 2.5–3x target range.
Equity free cash flow over the past 12 months reached SEK 5.1 billion, or SEK 7.37 per share. Tele2 cited “some temporary items” supporting the Q1 free cash flow, including a SEK 280 million tax refund.
Capex excluding spectrum and leases was SEK 823 million, down from SEK 1.02 billion, reflecting lower investment levels across regions. Capex-to-sales came in at 12%, aligned with full-year guidance of around 13%.
The company maintained its 2025 financial guidance, low single-digit organic growth in end-user service revenue, mid- to high single-digit organic growth in underlying EBITDAaL, and capex of around 13% of revenue excluding spectrum and leases.
Tele2 continued to restructure during the quarter, cutting over 450 jobs by mid-April as part of a broader plan to reduce its workforce by 600–700 roles. The company booked SEK 288 million in restructuring costs in Q1 related to this.
“We must return to our roots and the challenger culture that defined the original Tele2,” Harion said. “This is the path to follow to deliver better value for money to our customers, become more resilient, and take control of our future.”
The Board proposed an ordinary dividend of SEK 6.35 per share (SEK 4.4 billion in total), to be distributed in two tranches, SEK 3.20 in May and SEK 3.15 in October, equivalent to 100% of equity free cash flow generated in 2024.